Google Translate App Adds 13 New Languages

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Google Translate is rolling out a new update over the next few days, making traveling to the Middle East and Asia a lot easier.

The Google Translate app allows users to translate physical, real-world text that’s in another language, such as on a street sign or dinner menu, to their own language through their smartphone camera.

While the app previously offered this ability for 26 languages, Google announced the addition of 13 new languages – many of which derive from the Middle East and Asia to its visual translation feature. The new languages include Arabic, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Nepali, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, Thai, and Vietnamese.

Travelers can use the visual translation feature by taking a photograph of the text they want to be translated and then highlight the text with their finger. Google Translate will then offer a translation in a language the user understands.

While many of the features of Google Translate works with Wi-Fi or internet, there are offline data packages available for some of the languages, allowing travelers to translate text whey don’t have Wi-Fi or an internet connection.

Android and iOS platforms will receive the update in the next few days, allowing more travelers to head east with some peace of mind that they’ll be able to more easily navigate and connect with locals through the local language.